It’s 32 degrees in the sun and nearing the end of Sunday’s racing, I’ve guzzled nearly six liters of fluid and had one piss that could have been used to refill a high-lighter pen! In this scenario you know it’s friggin’ hot, especially for South Wales, where we would normally expect a different type of weather.

Rich Norgate, bringing the big steel Cotic 29er proto home to 1st in Masters
Rich Norgate, bringing the big steel Cotic 29er proto home to 1st in Masters

I think back to last season’s opening round at the Afan track, and the place and conditions really do seem unrecognizable. Last year we had totally different problems, temperatures of minus seven, deep mud, numb hands and feet, dropper posts and gears frozen up and ice on the stages; oh my god, is this really the same place? I had a meeting at Royal Racing just down the road in Swansea on the Thursday, so come the afternoon I was lucky enough to hit the Afan trails for some proper pre-race practice. The place was dead on arrival, the only signs of things to come was the organizer’s race truck and lots of tape coming down into the paddock. It was already hot, the trails were dry and dusty and fortunately some of the local South Wales junior riders (Leigh Johnson included) took me for a spin around the nearly taped stages. Luckily these guys knew the place like the back of their hands, so we took quicker ways to the top of the stages than the official transitions. They were all fit and made me feel like the old slow bastard I am up the big grinding hills and Leigh is so ridiculously quick down the stages, this lad is definitely a future star, with the perfect humble attitude. We do virtually all the stages and as the evening draws in so do the local midgies, these little twats are just horrible, seeming immune to every type of insect repellent going, I’m sure I’m like steak and chips to them, as they bite away at any exposed bit of flesh.

So which mag do the UKGE lot like then?!!
So which mag do the UKGE lot like then?!!

I kip down in the van for the night, awaking to more activity of the long weekend racers arriving for the ‘unofficial’ Friday practice. Yet again it’s hot as Ken, and as the saying suggests, we go out in the midday sun ‘like mad dogs and Englishmen’ for a couple of blasts of some stages. On doing the longer stages I wonder just how the hell I am going to pedal at race pace for so long over terrain, which can only just be described as- dropping downhill with flat bits and rises being the norm, needing full leg power all the way. I’m not a pedaller and I start to stress about it, I knew the five weeks prior where I had done no mid-week training was going to bite me in the ass for this one. Come Friday afternoon and our local boys are here, I join them for the evening pub meal and digs down the road, Donny not feeling as confident as usual, having just got back from a two week honeymoon and no riding (well not the bike anyway!)

Early morning and the sun starts it's relentless burn
Early morning and the sun starts it’s relentless burn

Saturday comes and I just go and do two runs of stage 5 (seeding stage) trying to get my eye in for the afternoons qualifying runs. The sun is blaring again, being British we complain about it being too hot, as the rides up to the top start to take it out of you and you wonder just how you will get round the big 43k loop the following day.

DSC_0005 6

Pits were pro as usual
Pits were pro as usual

Stage 5/Seeding

I’m up there ready, feeling OK, just a bit sun tired, half face helmet on, goggles, check, 5th gear, check, forks set to open, check, shock set to open, check, nerves making me feel double tired, check! I’m off, big pedal to get her going, trail-centre type stone turns, as advised by Donny I try and ‘pump every dip and turn’ to get some free speed. The track fires off down some fresh cut natural stuff, tight turns, whooped out, pedal along a walkers track broken up by three tricky bus-stops then cross a fire- track (switch rear shock to climb for the rest) The next long straight single-track ending in a climb is the first point where I regret my lack of training, get to the top, more natural single-track then I’m fired out onto the top of the 4X track. This has small step-ups and downs, which are simple, but with the corners being looser than a pensioner’s bowels they become tricky at speed. The final part of the 4X was a rock section, pretty easy, just hold your line. Another strong leg needing sprint down the field, through some baled corners, more sprinting and over the step-down jump to finish. I was goosed, breathing out my arse, damn I wished I was fitter, 10th was the position, I though I could crawl back some time the next day, Andy Sadler having put 10 seconds into me with his 1st place time

The Don (SPS Santa Cruz) hits the step-dowthe Tall Boy home to 2nd Elite
The Don (SPS Santa Cruz) hits the step-down on the Tall Boy home to 2nd Elite

I stayed on site another night, ate the lovely food from the regular food supplier The Billy Can and chilled with my Enve supplying mates from Saddleback, as we watched their ‘they only need blowing up once’ massive awning slowly deflate to match my confidence about the following day’s pedal-fest ahead. The midges were out in full force as the temperature dropped, making people do the silent rave dancing as they flailed their hands around to try and deter the relentless little bastards, they end up too much for me and I hit the sack.

Up at 7 and as I get my kit sorted I’m already sweating like mad and guzzling the water, unbelievable, is this really Wales? I’m off for 9.45, and after the usual EWS style pre-ride interview with Steve Parr, which no-one can ever hear the riders comments, I’m away for the big day ahead, fully loaded with snacks and 3ltrs of juice in my pack. Stage 1 has a shared start to stage 4 and the closest stage to the paddock, being within 15 minutes ride.

Vets winner, on a roll at the moment, Andy Sadler, Bad Ass Bikes
Vets winner, on a roll at the moment, Andy Sadler, Bad Ass Bikes

Stage 1

As I got going (very trail centre-ish at the top) I realized I had missed one of my checks, goggles still attached to helmet pointing backwards, oh well crack on. Flat turns galore, a bit more speed and gradient and the turns get more bermed, quite good fun, then its off into some fresh cut loam of the wood, short fun section, out of there and you join one of the local official stony trails, which just seemed to go on and on, some pedaling, some downhill, but very demanding on the hands and calves with the sheer length of time needing to stand up and push on. At the bottom, blowing, jees I’m hot already and the day had only just began. Next up was the massive 10k transition out in the burning sun all the way to stage 2.

There were some victims on the open rocks, Dave (Reedy) Reed Twelve50 bikes
There were some victims on the open rocks, Dave (Reedy) Reed Twelve50 bikes

Stage 2

Finally we reach stage 2, hot and bothered, the midgies taking away any sort of relief of the much needed rest in the shade. This stage was another local favorite, it was such fun, rocky, some pedaling but fast and furious, smashing through more steep rocks, drops and berms the further down it you went, this too was hammering the body and bike. It was a great feeling to reach the end without a crash, as a spill on here could have been a hospitaliser, just another quick 10k back along a different route, more sun, more sweat and we were up to the start of stage 3 in the woods, very glad all the big pedaling was pretty much done.

Yours truly on stage 4, wild stage!
Yours truly on stage 4, wild stage!

Stage 3

This was the one most riders dreaded, it was to be between 5 and 6 minutes, have hardly any drop in altitude for it’s length and just so energy taxing. The beeps went, as did my enthusiasm to pedal from the off. This too was trail-centre stuff, Donny in the back of my head telling me to pump everything. My strategy was to ride it like I’m trying to keep my mates off at a trail, but not at race pace. Half way through and I was goosed, needing to find the odd place to sit down to try and regain some leg power, it was draining me so much. Half way along this stage I would have given a kidney to have been an ex-roady or XC racer and have that core power they seem to possess. I eventually reached the end, feeling drained and empty, just glad it was over. As we were right next to the paddock I headed over and re-filled my nearly empty pack with nice cold water, then headed off on the short transition to the top of stage 4, now feeling the bite of the all-day sun starting to drain me like a dying battery, soldier on I thought, just go into Enduro mode and get through it!

Pat Campbell Jenner, 10th Elite
Pat Campbell Jenner, 10th Elite

Stage 4

Now this was the fun stage which shared stage 1’s start, then it was off into full fresh-cut bottom half, steep, tight and tricky. This took so many victims over the weekend (see me and mates messing on it on Friday via Hedcam Ten80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV6iBL-Svoc&feature=youtu.be )It was such good fun, just on the verge of ridable, but difficult to actually race. Smiles were all round on this track as riders reached the bottom with tales of crashes or nearly-offs, it was definitely short and sweet. One final climb to go, with a calf burning push half way and finally we were back up to the start of stage 5 tired but so relieved to have done the last push, what a sense of achievement. I hit stage five’s lines much like in seeding the day prior, I couldn’t muster the energy to stand up for the midway sprint, this lost me time, as I came in 3 seconds slower, but just so happy to have completed what turned out to be the hardest UKGE to date with the longest combined stages times too. I’d done it, was pretty disappointed to have lost a position down to 11th, but hey-ho that’s the evil bitch that is racing for ya, my new training regime started the next day, I was already planning whilst puffing on the line.

Elie winner, Sam Shucksmith, Pro Ride Guides, Specialized, on it like a car bonnet!
Elie winner, Sam Shucksmith, Pro Ride Guides, Specialized, on it like a car bonnet!
Stage 5/Seeding ended over the 4X track
Stage 5/Seeding ended over the 4X track

After half an hour in my van with the air-con on flat out I ventured out to catch the rest of the racing in full flow, all riders looked tired and relieved as they crossed the line. Our winners were Claire Bennett (Women) Howard Stuttard (Grand Vets) Andy Sadler (Vets) Rich Norgate (Masters) Aiken Collinge (Seniors) Leigh Johnson (U18) Helen Gaskell (Elite Women) Sam Shucksmith (Elite Males)


Worth a mention

40 year old Elite rider Rob (Box) Coxley had to retire on race day after a mechanical on stage 3, but had amazingly won stage 1 and 2 before that, life in that old dog for sure! Donny’s holiday must have done him good, as he ended up 2nd Elite. Leigh Johnson won U18 by a massive 1.42 mins! Rich Norgate took the big Cotic 29 proto steel bike to its 1st UKGE win in Masters, proving it ain’t all about carbon and featherweight. It was a fantastic event, grueling, hot, exhausting, but a real sense of achievement was felt on completion, thanks to all involved.

Results here

Words: Jim Buchanan | Pictures: Doc Ward, Jim Buchanan


Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.